Production of activated carbon from bagasse and rice husk by a single-stage chemical activation method at low retention times

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2008-10, Vol.99 (15), p.6809-6816
• Main Authors: Kalderis, Dimitrios, Bethanis, Sophia, Paraskeva, Panagiota, Diamadopoulos, Evan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Bagasse; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon - chemistry; Cellulose - chemistry; Chlorides - chemistry; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hot Temperature; Oryza - chemistry; Oryza sativa; Phosphoric Acids - chemistry; Rice husk; Sodium Hydroxide - chemistry; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Zinc chloride; Zinc Compounds - chemistry
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.01.041

The production of activated carbon from bagasse and rice husk by a single-stage chemical activation method in short retention times (30–60min) was examined in this study. The raw materials were subjected to a chemical pretreatment and were fed to the reactor in the form of a paste (75% moisture). Chemicals examined were ZnCl2, NaOH and H3PO4, for temperatures of 600, 700 and 800°C. Of the three chemical reagents under evaluation only ZnCl2 produced activated carbons with high surface areas. BET surface areas for rice husk were up to 750m2/g for 1:1 ZnCl2:rice husk ratio. BET surface areas for bagasse were up to 674m2/g for 0.75:1 ZnCl2:bagasse ratio. Results were compared to regular two-stage physical activation methods.